1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mattress for supporting bedridden patients in a manner that helps prevent and treat complications of immobility such as skin breakdown and decubitus ulcers. More particularly, this relates to a patient supporting mattress overlay or other support employing a plurality of transverse inflatable tubular elements sequentially inflated and deflated to provide a therapeutic wave beneath the patient.
2. Background Art
It has long been known that bedridden patients may be spared the discomfort of bed sores and other complications by providing frequent changes and periodic reductions in the pressure points of the patient supporting mattress against the patient's body. A number of prior patents disclose patient supporting mattresses formed by a plurality of inflatable bag or sack elements formed from a low loss air material. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,654 wherein a plurality of inflatable sacks, having a complex top surface configuration when inflated, are disposed in side by side transverse relationship on a mattress supporting surface of a hospital bed. When alternate sacks are inflated, accompanied by current deflation of the intermediate sacks, the patient is moved with a rolling motion from a position wherein one side of the patient's body is supporting most of the weight of the body, to an alternate position wherein the other side of the patient's body provides the primary support. While this mattress arrangement is very effective in eliminating bed sores, the complexity of the transversely disposed, inflatable bag elements makes the total mattress more costly than desired.
There is a need, therefore, for a therapeutic mattress employing a plurality of transversely disposed inflatable elements which are capable of producing a desired movement of the mattress supporting points relative to the patient's body, and which can be manufactured at a cost substantially less than that of prior art constructions.